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General PractitionerBorn in Manchester in 1922.
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Overview:
: Dr. Joe Needoff was a GP in an old-established Black Country practice from 1951 to 1989. He had a few, mainly elderly, patients with diabetes, but issued very few prescriptions for insulin and never saw a young person with diabetes. At first he had no nurse to help him, so did urine tests himself and, when he needed a chaperone, he called on his wife or another patient. The waiting-room was often crowded, as there was no appointment system. He saw no increase in diabetes throughout his career and had no diabetic clinic: ‘there was no necessity for it.`
There is also an interview with another Black Country GP, from one generation later, Dr. Richard Gee.
Please note that Overview relates to date of recording 18 October 2007
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1 Joe Needoff trained at Manchester University Medical School from 1940 to 1946. His clinical training included ward rounds at Manchester Royal Infirmary led by consultants known as ‘honoraries’. [ 61 secs ] |  | 2 Patients with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes received all their treatment at the local hospital, but would come to him for prescriptions and for urine testing. [ 60 secs ] | |
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| 01 Salford. Father tailor, then owned factory & shops. Elementary school. Manchester Grammar. Manchester University Medical School 1940-46. | |
| | 02 Clinical at Infirmary – medical, surgery, midwifery – confinements in slums. Ward rounds led by ‘honoraries` – unpaid consultants. Nightingale wards. Infection treated strictly. | |
| 03 Consultants had private practices. Pre-NHS, hospitals funded by voluntary contributions. Bandages re-used. Hospitals clean.
Physician treated adult diabetics only. Diabetes mentioned in lectures. Article in BMJ in mid-40s classified Type 1 & Type 2. | |
| | 04 House surgeon at Infirmary. National Service. Locum GP in Blackpool & Rochdale – no diabetes. 1951 - assistant to Black Country GP, Dr. Millington. Practice established 1896. | |
| | 05 Increased patients 5000 to 6000. No appointment system. Saturday surgeries. Alternated night duties. Less expertise, fewer drugs than now. Treated blood pressure with ‘red medicine` & Phenobarbitone. | |
| | 06 20 to 40 visits per day – once 60. Never saw diabetic hypo or coma. Elderly patients` urine tests – I boiled urine with reagent. No nurse – only district nurse. After Millington retired, new partner & I got part-time secretary & part-time nurse. | |
| | 07 Diabetics elderly. One man among first to have insulin. Woman`s urine tested red, but managed for years. Recommended diabetics to cut sugar. Scrounged slips from local hospital. Never saw young diabetic. Treatment at hospital – GP just for drugs. 1951 – no tablets, just diet or insulin. No increase in diabetes 1951-1989. | |
| | 08 Patients worked in mines, refineries (foundries), factories. Ate lots of carbohydrate. No malnutrition. | |
| | 09 Diphtheria in early years. Scarlet fever, measles. Miners had bronchitis. | |
| | 10 Miners had lung disease. Also worked as factory doctor – tested for lead & chrome poisoning. | |
| | 11 At first treated patients with diet, insulin, urine tests. Urine test strips replaced boiling. With ketones, sent to hospital. Occasional eye problems, rarely artery complications, no gangrene. Didn`t test eyes. | |
| | 12 At first, surgery building same as for years. Dispensary from pre-NHS time. A few private patients continued after NHS. Millington didn`t charge during Depression. Asked patient to chaperone – no nurse. | |
| | 13 Early 1950s, patients died of TB. Heart problem would now be cured by operation. Houses well-kept. I helped clear slums when on local council. | |
| | 14 After Millington retired, new partner & I divided consulting room in two. Later, wife & I moved out & surgery built round corner. Later newer surgery built. Wife acted as unpaid secretary, chaperone & telephone adviser. 3rd partner joined mid-60s. Never saw child with diabetes. | |
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-t.jpg)
 Practice founder, Dr Baker-t.jpg)
 Doctor`s carriage outside what became Joe Needoff`s surgery-t.jpg)
